Current Legislation

The Building Blocks Project supports public policies that protect workers, develop new supermarkets in neighborhoods that need them, and preserve existing supermarkets.

Current legislation to improve wages and workplace conditions

Wage Theft Prevention Act – Introduced by Senator Diane Savino and Assemblyman Carl Heastie

Currently corrupt bosses steal millions of dollars from New York City Workers by:

• paying less than minimum wage
• making workers work off the clock
• pilfering tips
• misclassifying employees as independent contractors

The Wage Theft Prevention Act stiffens penalties for employers that are “cheating employees out of wages, encourages workers to come forward, and provides new avenues for investigating and prosecuting wage theft cases - and ensuring violators will pay up” (Huffington Post, Amy Traub, Research Director, Drum Major
Institute for Public Policy). Earned Sick Leave Bill – Introduced by New York City Council Member Gale Brewer “According to the Department of Justice Office of Domestic Social Development, as of February 2009, 76% of low wage workers and 48% of full-time private sector workers are not paid for sick days”(new York Employment Attorney Blog). The Earned Leave Bill will provide paid sick days to all private sector workers, 9 sick days per year or 1 hour for each 30 hours worked.